One rung up the ladder from useless and boring, four down from hysterically entertaining, this blog is a feeble attempt to perfect mediocrity.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Substitute

Ah, my ring. My beautiful, complicated, patience-teaching ring. When asked, quite awhile ago now, what sort of ring I might like, I had no idea. It had been over 20 years since I last looked at diamonds. It didn't take me long to know I didn't like much of what I saw in the jewelry cases around town, though. Bling is definitely in, just not for me. I stumbled across Tacori. Known for their hand-engraving, I loved the etched style, adored the elegant and unique look and knew that was certainly my style of ring. Even so, the two jewelers in our area that carry Tacori didn't carry the hand-engraved rings. The jeweler had to order them in for us to even look at. Per WG's request, I narrowed the field, but he chose the ring.

And he did a marvelous job. My ring is absolutely stunning. One solitaire stone set in a vintage-style band with gorgeous engraving around the band. Even the mount for the diamond is intricate and beautiful.

Of course, all this handiwork takes time. A month, it would seem. And so, I waited. Not-very-patiently. But finally, much to WG's relief, it came and he proposed, and all was right in the world again.

Until we went looking for a wedding band. You see, this mount has a certain curve to it, so regular bands won't lie next to it correctly. Tacori makes a "matching band" of course, but again, no one had it for us to look at in person. We finally asked the jeweler to order it in that we might see it. And so we did today. And we both really loved it, and it goes so nicely with my engagement ring, and even though WG had to donate his other kidney for it, we decided to order it.

At which point I had to take off my not-two-weeks-old engagement ring to be sent back so the matching band can be perfectly aligned and engraved and sigh.....gone. For four more weeks. I know it makes sense, and truly, I wouldn't want to do this any other way, as these two really will look beautiful sitting side by side, but FOUR MORE WEEKS?!

Oh, to have patience.

WG isn't so sure he wants to deal with me and my impatient self for this month or ringlessness, but he also didn't really like the idea of me not having a ring on my finger while we wait. Ever the romantic, WG was quick with a solution. Already over budget on rings, he created a low-cost, worry-free, lifetime replacement guarantee substitute ring...

....out of a cable tie. He had it on my finger in the parking lot of the jeweler, not ten minutes after I had taken my beautiful diamond off.

I have to admit, he is clever. I don't think there is a man out there that would dare steal away the fiancée of another man, especially when her engagement is marked by a cable tie!